Level.



A. M. PRATER.

LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.22, 1914.

1 ,173,8 60 Patented Feb. 29,1916.

Suva/whom AJMPra hr:

UNI S S LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed December 22, 1914. Serial No. 878,538.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ACIE M. PRATER, a whitecitizen of the United States, residing at Hugo, in the county of Choctawand State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements inLevels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to levels and more particularly to guards orprotectors for the bulbs of spirit levels. In this type of level thebulb is usually exposed through a slot in a cover plate secured to theedge of the level and the present invention is designed to protect thebulb against breaking when the level is not in use. It frequently occursthat when the level is put in the box, tool chest or other similarreceptacle with other tools that the bulb becomes broken from contactwith said tools, thereby necessitating replacement which entailsconsiderable trouble.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to obviate thesedifficulties and it is a further object to provide simple and efficientmeans for closing the slot and the cover plate and also for holding theclosing means in inoperative position when the level is in use.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the followingdescription is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, whichforms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation showing the guard in operative slot closing position. Fig. 2is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinalsectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents the level bodywhich is recessed at 2 to receive a spirit bulb 3, as is usual. Mountedover the recess and being provided with a longitudinal slot 4: is thecover plate 5 which in this instance is made somewhat longer than inordinary instances. This cover plate is secured to the level body in anysuitable manner and has connected thereto a leaf spring 6, one terminalof which is passed througha slot 7 in the cover plate and secured to theunderside thereof.

The opposite terminal of the spring is passed through a slot 8 and isfree, as shown in Fig. 3

Slidably mounted upon the cover plate is a guard or protector consistingof a plate of any suitable material, generally indicated at 9, andhaving its marginal edges turned over the cover plate into retaining andguiding flanges 10. The side edges of the plate are preferably milled orsuitably roughened, as indicated at 11, so as to provide a grippingsurface and the forward movement of the plate is preferably limited by aknob or boss 12 pressed up from the cover plate, as shown.

When the level is not in use the guard is moved forwardly over the slotin the cover plate, thereby concealing the bulb and preventing breakageof the same.

What is claimed is 1. In a spirit level, a slotted cover plate for thespirit bulb, a guard plate slidably mounted over the cover plate andhaving the longitudinal edges thereof bent to form guideways, saidguideways receiving the edges of said cover plate, means for holding theguard plate in inactive position, and means for limiting the movement ofthe guard plate when moved to active position.

2. In a spirit level, a slotted cover plate for the spirit bulb, a guardplate slidably mounted over the cover plate, said guard plate having thelongitudinal edges thereof bent to form guideways for receiving thelongitudinal edges of said cover plate, a

leaf spring mounted in one end of said cover plate and engaging saidguard plate when in inactive position, and a boss formed on the oppositeend of said cover plate and serving to limit the forward movement of theguard plate when moved to active posi-' tion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ACIE M. PRATER. Witnesses:

V. M. TYLER,

RUTH STANFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

